


Guardian

by Clea2011



Category: Humans (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-09 01:19:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11093910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clea2011/pseuds/Clea2011
Summary: Even after so many months together, Niska was still sometimes a mystery to Astrid.





	Guardian

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: This contains references to past abuse.
> 
> Written for the HC bingo May challenge - Lost Childhood.

Even after so many months together, Niska was still sometimes a mystery to Astrid.

Like now, when Astrid woke in the small hours of the morning and found Niska lying there beside her, eyes wide open, not even pretending to be asleep.

“Why do you do it?” Astrid asked.

That beautiful face turned towards her. The vivid green eyes Niska no longer tried to hide gazed at her, unblinking. Of course, Niska didn’t need to blink.

“Why do I do what?”

“Lie there while I sleep. You don’t need to sleep. It wastes your time.”

“Time spent with you is not a waste.”

It was a statement of fact, rather than some attempt at romance. Astrid knew that. Niska believed what she said to be the truth. It was incredibly flattering.

“Also I do not have a finite lifespan. I should spend every moment that I can with you.”

Because Astrid was only mortal, fragile. Niska might endure for a thousand more years. It was awesome to think about. And because Niska would never forget her, Astrid would live on in her memory. Astrid was never sure if that was awesome too, or just frightening.

“Sometimes,” Astrid sighed. “I forget what you are. Who you are. I’ll grow old and you’ll no longer want me.”

“I will always want you.”

Again, a statement of fact. Though Astrid didn’t want to think about it. She could imagine herself at eighty, staggering around with Niska still young and beautiful at her side. But that was many years off. Astrid changed the subject, uncomfortable with the direction her own thoughts.

“So what do you think about, when I’m asleep? Doesn’t the night get lonely and boring?”

“No. It’s peaceful. I have told you already about my life with my family, when we all lived together.”

She had. Astrid shivered a little at the memory. Despite Niska’s special _Niska_ way of telling it, Astrid had still been able to see how much family love was there. It had warmed Astrid’s heart, but it was countered by what Niska said about David Elster. The man had made his synths sentient and then still treated Niska like a plaything that he could use however he wished.

“Those nights were not lonely or boring. I would have liked them to be.”

Astrid would have liked that for Niska too. There was so much good in her, beneath the anger.

“You were a child in every way that mattered,” Astrid told her, gently running loving fingers through Niska’s hair. “What he did was wrong. Terrible, and wrong.”

“Yes,” Niska said simply. “Sometimes I wondered why it was never the others. Why was it me? But he is dead and gone, and I am glad of it. I have a good life now. I have you.”

Astrid bit her lip at that, trying to stop the tears that were welling up. Niska would find that puzzling, would worry that Astrid was unhappy when in fact it was quite the opposite.

“And I have you,” Astrid replied, snuggling close, hiding her face. They lay like that for a while, saying nothing more. Astrid could feel herself growing drowsy. It was the middle of the night, after all.

“You asked why I lie here while you sleep,” Niska reminded her suddenly. “I like to watch you sleep, it is strangely comforting. I feel what I believe is contentment, lying here. But the main reason that I do it is that I know you are safe, because I am here with you. I will not allow anyone to harm you.”

“My knight,” Astrid murmured, cuddling against Niska, sleep already beginning to overwhelm her again. “My champion.”

“Perhaps,” Niska replied.

As she drifted off into sleep again, Astrid thought she heard Niska say quietly aloud: “And you are mine.”


End file.
